Florida Polytechnic Names New Chief Operating Officer

Ava Parker, who has served on the State University System Board of Governors for 10 years, will start Dec. 1.

MARY TOOTHMANTHE LEDGER

Published: Monday, November 19, 2012 at 2:43 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, November 19, 2012 at 2:43 p.m.

LAKELAND | A Jacksonville lawyer who has served on the State University System Board of Governors for 10 years has been tagged to take over as interim chief operating officer of Florida Polytechnic University.

Facts

"She has a proven track record on education … I think it's a big win."

David Touchton

Ava L. Parker, president of Linking Solutions Inc. and a practicing lawyer at Lawrence & Parker P.A., will resign from her board position to take over the new university. She will start Dec. 1 and hold the position for a term of two years.

Tim Campbell, a lawyer who is consulting for the university, said Parker's employment agreement terms had not been negotiated yet.

Robert Gidel, chairman of the Florida Poly board, had been authorized by the board to interview job candidates and make a decision. He told the board at its Monday meeting that he was delighted to announce he had convinced Parker to take on the daunting task of heading the university.

Moments later, she walked into the room. And within minutes, board members were asking her questions and presenting work for her to address.

She said after the meeting she's ready for the job.

"I know that this is a huge undertaking," she said.

"But it is also very exciting. I think it's a wonderful opportunity to work with a new university."

Parker is familiar with the background of the polytechnic.

She was serving as chair of the Board of Governors when it voted to allow the university to separate from the University of South Florida if certain benchmarks were followed. That was Nov. 9, 2011.

Still, the job of heading the university will certainly bring forth new challenges, board members said.

They said they hoped to hire someone who could face head-on the difficulties the situation presents, and Gidel said Parker is the one for the job.

The board said Parker will be charged with helping to shape the institution's mission and vision, oversee the ongoing development of the new campus, hire key staff, and ensure that the institution stays on track to academic accreditation as it recruits its first students.

"As we started to think about the interim leader of the polytechnic, it became clear that we needed someone not only with a background in higher education, but with real-world savvy to help us communicate our vision to the many, varied stakeholders interested in ­seeing this university succeed," Gidel said in a statement released after the meeting.

"Ava Parker is the right person for the job. We are excited she agreed to take on this challenge."

David Touchton, a Lakeland businessman who served as interim chancellor at USF Poly during its turbulent final days, said Gidel's choice was spot-on. "I think it's a very, very wise move on his part," Touchton said. "She has a proven track record on education, and when I watched her run one of the BOG meetings she was very much in command of the meeting. They have someone there now who has a leg up on understanding the university system. I think it's a big win."

Parker also serves on the Jacksonville Transportation Authority and has previously served on the University of Central Florida Board of Trustees. She received her bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Florida.

"A trend in higher education is appointing lawyers as presidents," said Preston Mercer, a USF professor who once headed the USF Lakeland campus. "Ms. Parker is certainly prominent in Florida education, chairing the FBOG recently. I wish her the best."

Board members are new to the task of setting up the polytechnic as well. Created in an unusual way when the Legislature approved its formation, the university is developing initial steps as they crop up.

Gidel said it's been a tremendous learning experience for everyone involved, but he's optimistic about the future. "This is great," he said about Parker accepting the job. "She's fantastic."

He joked that he probably didn't work as hard to convince his wife to marry him as he did when meeting repeatedly with Parker about the position.

She said she's glad to be part of the excitement the new university presents. "It's such an opportunity to do something different than has ever been done before," she said.

[ Mary Toothman can be reached at 802-7512 ormary.toothman@theledger.com. Her Twitter feed is @MaryToothman. ]

<p>LAKELAND | A Jacksonville lawyer who has served on the State University System Board of Governors for 10 years has been tagged to take over as interim chief operating officer of Florida Polytechnic University.</p><p>Ava L. Parker, president of Linking Solutions Inc. and a practicing lawyer at Lawrence & Parker P.A., will resign from her board position to take over the new university. She will start Dec. 1 and hold the position for a term of two years.</p><p>Tim Campbell, a lawyer who is consulting for the university, said Parker's employment agreement terms had not been negotiated yet.</p><p>Robert Gidel, chairman of the Florida Poly board, had been authorized by the board to interview job candidates and make a decision. He told the board at its Monday meeting that he was delighted to announce he had convinced Parker to take on the daunting task of heading the university.</p><p>Moments later, she walked into the room. And within minutes, board members were asking her questions and presenting work for her to address.</p><p>She said after the meeting she's ready for the job.</p><p>"I know that this is a huge undertaking," she said.</p><p>"But it is also very exciting. I think it's a wonderful opportunity to work with a new university."</p><p>Parker is familiar with the background of the polytechnic.</p><p>She was serving as chair of the Board of Governors when it voted to allow the university to separate from the University of South Florida if certain benchmarks were followed. That was Nov. 9, 2011.</p><p>Still, the job of heading the university will certainly bring forth new challenges, board members said.</p><p>They said they hoped to hire someone who could face head-on the difficulties the situation presents, and Gidel said Parker is the one for the job.</p><p>The board said Parker will be charged with helping to shape the institution's mission and vision, oversee the ongoing development of the new campus, hire key staff, and ensure that the institution stays on track to academic accreditation as it recruits its first students.</p><p>"As we started to think about the interim leader of the polytechnic, it became clear that we needed someone not only with a background in higher education, but with real-world savvy to help us communicate our vision to the many, varied stakeholders interested in ­seeing this university succeed," Gidel said in a statement released after the meeting.</p><p>"Ava Parker is the right person for the job. We are excited she agreed to take on this challenge."</p><p>David Touchton, a Lakeland businessman who served as interim chancellor at USF Poly during its turbulent final days, said Gidel's choice was spot-on. "I think it's a very, very wise move on his part," Touchton said. "She has a proven track record on education, and when I watched her run one of the BOG meetings she was very much in command of the meeting. They have someone there now who has a leg up on understanding the university system. I think it's a big win."</p><p>Parker also serves on the Jacksonville Transportation Authority and has previously served on the University of Central Florida Board of Trustees. She received her bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Florida.</p><p>"A trend in higher education is appointing lawyers as presidents," said Preston Mercer, a USF professor who once headed the USF Lakeland campus. "Ms. Parker is certainly prominent in Florida education, chairing the FBOG recently. I wish her the best."</p><p>Board members are new to the task of setting up the polytechnic as well. Created in an unusual way when the Legislature approved its formation, the university is developing initial steps as they crop up.</p><p>Gidel said it's been a tremendous learning experience for everyone involved, but he's optimistic about the future. "This is great," he said about Parker accepting the job. "She's fantastic."</p><p>He joked that he probably didn't work as hard to convince his wife to marry him as he did when meeting repeatedly with Parker about the position.</p><p>She said she's glad to be part of the excitement the new university presents. "It's such an opportunity to do something different than has ever been done before," she said.</p><p> </p><p>[ Mary Toothman can be reached at 802-7512 ormary.toothman@theledger.com. Her Twitter feed is @MaryToothman. ]</p>